WINE SPECTATOR HERALDS “CALIFORNIA SUN”. THE BEST WINE OF THE “TOP 100” IS PASO ROBLES 2007 JAMES BERRY SAXUM VINEYARD. IN THE TOP 10 ONLY ONE ITALIAN WINE AND MADE IN U.S.A. WINES DOMINATE

Saxum Winery's 2007 Vintage from the James Berry Vineyard has been proclaimed Wine Spectator’s 2010 “Wine of the year”. The journal’s yearly “Top 100” list is one of the most coveted in the wine world. The winning wine is produced in California and is a blend of Grenache, Mourvedre e Syrah, for just over 11.000 bottles and is priced at 67 dollars.

This year, the tasting team of the New York magazine (”orphan” of James Suckling, who left the magazine) seems to have adopted a decidedly patriotic inspiration (already noted in the 2009 “Top 100”) in the selection of the best wines of the world: five of the top 10 wines are in fact American, two Australian and unbelievable (at least according to the traditional yardstick of the American magazine) one Italian wine, one French and one Portuguese, shifting the focus of the wine world geography from Europe to California, rather to the “California Sun” (also considering the alcoholic content of the winning wine).

Wine Spectator’s “Top 100” list debuted in 1988 and has become, over the years, a guide to the trends of the global wine market. The experts of the American magazine tasted more than 15.800 wines from around the world. The selection was made according to four criteria: quality (represented by the score given, minimum 93 points), the value (price), availability (production) and an “X factor” that the “ Wine Spectator” journalists have defined “excitement”. The average price is 48 dollars.



Focus – Here is the Wine Spectator “top 10” list

1) Saxum, James Berry Vineyard Paso Robles 2007
(Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah)

2) Two Hands, Shiraz Barossa Valley Bella’s Garden 2008

3) Peter Michael, Chardonnay Sonoma County Ma Belle-Fille 2008

4) St. Helena, Cabernet Sauvignon Revana 2007

5) Altamura, Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2007

6) Paul Hobbs, Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2008

7) Schild, Shiraz Barossa 2008

8) Fontodi, Flaccianello della Pieve 2007

9) Carm, Douro Reserva 2007

10) Clos des Papes, Châteauneuf-du-Pape White 2009